Martial Arts Training at School
This year it was reported in a UK national survey that there was an average of 8,000 attacks on school staff annually over a six-year-period. A teacher should never have to go to their work in fear of assault- they should be focussed fully on educating the young people. Could teaching martial arts in schools be the key to addressing this as well as improving the health and well being amongst teachers and school students today. Famous 16th Century Samurai Warrior Miyamoto Musashi once said ‘’The true science of Martial Arts means practising them in a way that they will be useful at anytime, and to teach them in a way that they will be useful in all things’’
One of the fundamental lessons of Martial Arts is discipline and this is learned through gaining an understanding of the etiquette expected. This can include but is not limited to respect, courtesy, self control and acceptable behaviour towards your fellow students and teacher. Teaching martial arts to school children would provide them with the necessary levels of understanding of these fundamental behaviours which could then translate into their education. People think that martial arts is violent, that learning it would make you more likely to attack someone but in fact the opposite is the case. Studies have shown that martial arts can be more effective than traditional P.E lessons for teaching children how to behave properly. In one study improvements were not only seen in behaviour but also in their sociability, attention in class, and maths skills. The study was published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. In another study by the Department of Psychiatry Baylor College of Medicine Houston, to determine the impact of teaching martial arts to violent children, the study showed that the children learnt to cope better with their personal circumstances, for example living in a broken home having spent time learning martial arts. Martial Arts has a military level of discipline and this can improve behaviour as students are taught to a high standard to respect instruction and this ultimately could increase education levels.
Another benefit of teaching martial arts to school children is that it improves mental health and self confidence. A positive environment within the school facility will improve the culture of learning . Mastering a new skill such as a martial arts can have positive psychological benefits such as improved confidence, improved self esteem, lower anxiety levels, reduced tension and anger levels. Martial arts is also a good form of physical exercise, releasing endorphins into your brain and this can enhance mental and psychological well-being. Improving confidence makes students have more positive emotions, resulting in them feeling more relaxed and calm in a stressful situation, such as exams. They also believe in themselves more which means they are less likely to give up, and more likely to be more successful. The practise of martial arts makes you experience and cope with stressful situations, which again would benefit adolescent students in their day to day lives. A specific study in the US determined that the use of Aikido training, a form of martial arts, was more effective at increasing self confidence levels in 12-14 year old students than traditional therapeutic treatment. As reported by the BBC, further success has been experienced in schools in Bromley, South London, who introduced Martial Arts into their curriculum. Boxing was introduced to help pupils in particular with mental health and physical fitness.
A major concern is the increasing levels of obesity amongst school age children. 22,000 children are obese when they leave primary school in the UK, it’s also been recently reported that obesity levels in schools in the UK are now exceeding that of the US, with 18.5% of children in America being obese compared to 20% in England. Martial arts, by its very nature, is a physical activity. Practitioners therefore have to work on their cardiovascular endurance and their specific muscle groups, for example; leg muscles to increase balance and stability of their stances and the power of their kicks, upper body muscles to increase grappling abilities , punching power and blocking. Intense training methods used in martial arts will increase the students heart rate therefore increasing the rate at which they burn fat, helping to reduce obesity levels.
Some may believe that martial arts will increase violence in schools, but martial arts training teaches non violence, respect and confidence A report by Ofsted found that one in ten students had been a victim of bullying whilst at school. Bullies generally have a lack of self confidence, discipline or respect towards others. Teaching martial arts will enhance their confidence, improve their discipline and teach them to respect others but more importantly respect themselves. Victims of bullies can also develop stronger characters, helping them demonstrate confidence, and be less of a target to bullies. There has been many instances where martial arts has been used for self defence. Teaching this to children at an early age could reduce assault, rape levels and gang violence as they are more likely, prepared and confident to defend themselves should the need arise. Samurai Warrior Miyamoto Musashi said “The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them”
In conclusion, teaching martial arts in school could provide an overall benefit to both the student and the school environment, improving discipline, focus, mental health and self confidence whilst tackling the current obesity crisis.
